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31 Oct 2018

Rose gold has grown in popularity over the last half decade or so and if you didn't already know, I am a big fan. Earlier on in the year, I bought the Kaweco Al-Star in rose gold and now, I have the Sailor Fasciner which boasts a rose gold trim.

First Impressions
As always, this pen came in a blue Sailor presentation box. I like Sailor boxes as they are no nonsense boxes which serve their purpose. They aren't overtly jazzy so you feel like most of the money you've spent it actually on the pen rather than some box.

Upon opening the box, you can see the pen: the rose gold trim really stands out against the white body of the pen.

Design

In contrast to the Professional Gear line where the ends of the pen are flat, the Fasciner has a rounded end. The rose gold trim looks supreme against the bright white body and I love how classy it looks. Unfortunately, the one negative is that the nib is a yellow gold colour and does not match the rose gold trim.

Usability

Extremely light to hold, it means that long writing sessions are not painful. The nib is a delightful fine steel nib and writes a true, Japanese fine line. The cap can be posted or unposted - both look and feel good and does not upset the balance, whichever way you choose to use the pen.

Nib and Writing

As said before, the nib is a steel one in a yellow gold colour. The nib is smooth with little to no feedback and glides along the paper. It has not been scratchy, even with low quality paper and seems to hold up well with long writing sessions.

Price

At £81, it is on the higher end for a steel nib. For this price, you can order a Pilot Grance (if you are in the US/Far East) which has a 14K nib or just for a few quid more, a Platinum 3776 which also has a 14K nib. What you are paying for, however, is a solidly built Sailor fountain pen with a nib that writes a true fine line. It is a pleasure to use and feels luxurious with its white body and rose gold trim. It is a pen that will delight you from a design and a user point of view.

Conclusion

The Sailor Fasciner won't be to everyone's taste; but that's ok. That's the beauty of fountain pens: there is one for everyone in terms of design or usability.

For me personally, I really do like this pen. It writes well and is lightweight enough to use for longer writing sessions. It doesn't dry out too quickly when uncapped (something which can irritate me a fair bit!) and does not cause any hand cramp or discomfort even when in hand for an hour or so.

The price will put some people off but for those who have had the pleasure of holding a Sailor pen in hand, they may see this as a worthy addition to the collection. Sailor are fast rising up to the top of my favourite pen brands and they are definitely up there with the likes of Pilot and Platinum in my opinion.